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PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (January 6, 1998 - Samoa News)---The children and the estate of a 62-year old (Western) Samoan businesswoman who died in a Polynesian Airlines plane crash almost a year ago are seeking $12 million in a wrongful death lawsuit against the Samoa-based airline.

The suit was filed Monday in the High Court of American Samoa by the estate of the late Tinei V. Nickel and her four children Elizabeth Betham, Pelenatele Ah Fook, Joseph Nickel and Ivale Nickel.

The Polynesian Airlines Twin Otter aircraft crashed into a hillside in the Moamoa District of Apia, Samoa on January 7, 1997, killing three of the five people on board, including Mrs. Nickel, the pilot and the grandfather of a five-year old girl that survived.

According to the suit, "The events resulting in Mrs. Nickel’s death were such that in the ordinary course of things would not have occurred and Polynesian Airlines had the sole and exclusive possession and custody of the aircraft and...

Prime Minister Hon. Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE has reported the receipt of two large contributions to disaster relief in the amounts of $2,500 and $15,000 from the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Government of Niue respectively.

The Prime Minister said, "The President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Honorable Imata Kabua, and the Premier of the Government of Niue, Honorable Frank Lui, have each written to express their concern and that of the people of both nations for those Cook Islanders who have suffered from Cyclone Martin."

In his letter, President Kabua said, "It is our sincere hope that this small token may somehow contribute towards your national effort to rebuild and to restore the damage caused to your beautiful country."

In the second letter, Premier Lui said that the $15,000 was "made up through public donations and topped up by Government to put towards your...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (January 6, 1998 - PACNEWS)---The lighthouse at the Papua New Guinea - Irian Jaya Wutung border post has been destroyed by fire, apparently started by members of the Indonesian Free Papua Movement.

The 13-foot structure, built on a hill just outside Wuting village, was burned Saturday night.

Details of the incident are not yet available but Papua New Guinea's Provincial Intelligence Committee met Monday to discuss the matter. Unconfirmed reports say a list of demands made by rebels --in three separate letters-- was left on the floor of the burned structure.

Indonesian government officers are conducting an assessment of damages.

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (January 5, 1998 - Samoa News)---Up to 50 business license renewal applications are being held up by the Tax Office due to non-filing of tax returns.

According to American Samoa Government Treasurer Tifimale Ale, the Tax Office has not denied any business license and they are working together with the businesses concerned to file the necessary tax forms for the licenses to be approved.

Under law, the American Samoa Government can not refuse to renew a business license for simple failure to pay taxes, explained Ale. But the territorial government does have the legal power to withhold the renewal of licenses if the businesses have not filed their tax forms.

"Paying and filing are two different things," said Ale.

Most of the licenses being held by the Tax Office are for partnerships and corporations.

He also noted that the Tax Office has found that a number of corporations have violated the law by failing to notify the Tax...

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (January 7, 1997 - Samoa News)---Relief supplies for storm ravaged Swains Island in American Samoa will have to wait until the weather improves.

The small low-lying atoll, south of the New Zealand territory of Tokelau, was hit with winds of 90 miles per hour from Tropical Storm Ron, later upgraded to Hurricane Ron, late Friday afternoon.

Ron flattened all the Polynesian fales on Swains except for the government school and dispensary building. No injuries or deaths were reported.

Local authorities say rough seas heading into Swains Island continue to prevent emergency crews with relief supplies from sailing to the remote atoll of 49 people, which is privately owned but one of the U.S. South Pacific Territory of American Samoa’s seven main islands.

At one time, Swains Island was claimed by Tokelau.

The American Samoa government plans to charter a Twin Otter flight for an aerial view of the island on Thursday.

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (January 6, 1998 - PACNEWS)---The young man held by Vanuatu police in Port Vila in connection with the death of a Solomon Islands citizen on New Year's Day has been charged with "intentional assault causing death."

Police officials say the man will appear in Port Vila Magistrate's Court to defend himself on January 19, Radio Vanuatu reports.

The Solomon Islander, Denis Gary Runikera, was stoned to death after he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a roadside bench, injuring a youth sitting on the bench.

Vanuatu Prime Minister Serge Vohor has sent his own and his country's condolences and apologies to his Solomon Islands counterpart, Bartholomew Ulufa'alu, and Runikera’s family.

SUVA, Fiji (January 5, 1998 - PACNEWS)---Scores of children are being treated at Fiji's Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva for diarrhea and vomiting, but doctors say the illness is of no major concern compared to the dengue fever outbreak, The Fiji Times reports.

The new epidemic was confirmed by the hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr. Mary Schramm.

She said most of the children responded well to a treatment of oral rehydration salts. Parents of children with diarrhea were advised to give the children extra fluids.

MELBOURNE, Australia (January 7, 1998 - Radio Australia)---In the French territory of Wallis and Futuna, Cyclone Ron has caused heavy damage to Wallis and still threatens Futuna with waves of up to 29 feet.

Officials say residents remain on maximum alert.

There were no casualties as Cyclone Ron passed over Wallis, but it caused widespread damage, disrupting electric power and water supplies, knocking down trees, and blowing roofs off homes.

At last report, the cyclone, packing winds of 108 miles an hour, was situated 80 miles south of Wallis, heading southwest on a course to miss Futuna by 160 miles.

Futuna’s 5,000 residents, concentrated along the coast, have begun moving to higher land.

Meantime, Cyclone Susan has claimed the life of a woman on a Vanuatu island.

Officials in the capital, Port Vila, say the 29-year-old woman died when winds of more than 130 miles an hour slammed into Ambrym Island. They say the woman was hit by an uprooted...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (January 6, 1998 - PACNEWS)---The Tolukum gold project in the Central Province of Papua New Guinea has reported production valued at 60 million kina ($US35 million) for the period ending December 31, 1997.

Project Manager Simon Law says about 150 ounces of gold were obtained from the mine during the past year.

Law also says a mini-hydro-electricity project to power mine operations has just been completed.

The PNG drought has not hampered work at the mine, he noted, but actually made construction of the power unit, open pit work and underground drilling easier.

Meanwhile, the giant OK Tedi gold mine remains closed despite heavy rains in the area over the past several days. The Fly River water level now is higher, but still not deep enough to transport stockpiles of ore mined earlier.

Bougainville Transitional Government Premier Gerard Sinato, politicians, civil servants, secessionists, village chiefs and other community leaders are taking part in the two-day session.

Thousands of villagers from throughout the embattled island, including areas controlled by the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), started converging on Central Bougainville beginning Monday.

Several Bougainville Interim Government and BRA leaders, including Joseph Kabui and Sam Kaouna, have confirmed their participation in the meeting, with officials also hopeful secessionist government head Francis Ona will attend.

The gathering will enable the leaders of the PNG island to make final plans for the next round of formal peace talks in Christchurch, New Zealand scheduled for mid...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.